Release device for door latch



Sept. 6, 1966 Filed'March 16,

R. P. SCHELIN 3,271,062

RELEASE DEVICE FOR DOOR LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVE/v TOR R055 R SCHEL //V AT TORNEYS Sept. 6, 1966 R. P. SCHELHN RELEASE DEVICE FOR DOOR LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 16, 1964 AT 7 ORNEYS United States Patent 3,271,062 RELEASE DEVICE FOR DOOR LATCH Ross P. Schelin, Culver, Minn. Filed Mar. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 351,985 Claims. (Cl. 292-3365) The invention relates to an improvement in a device for releasing and latching doors particularly to facilitate the opening of the door.

It is an object of the invention to provide a release for a door latch in the form of an extension whereby the latch of the door may be released by pressure at a point removed from and vertically below the latch. This is particularly desirable for children who cannot easily reach a conventional door latch and more desirable where the latch must be reached from a step which is below the level of the bottom of the door.

It is also an object to provide a release for a door latch which may be actuated by simply pulling on the extension member with no particular dexterity or position of the hand on the extension.

It is a further object to provide a release for a door latch which may be used in connection with conventional present day door latches.

It is a still further object to provide a door latch release with which the conventional door latch knob may be operated independent of the release device.

Another object is to provide a release device for a door latch from the outside which may be actuated by simply causing the release bar to rotate by pushing or pulling outwardly on the rod with the elbow or any object thereby doing away with the need for precise rotation of the door knob.

It is also an object to provide a further embodiment of a release device for a door having a pivoted latch handle.

It will not be here attempted to set forth and indicate all of the various objects and advantages incident to the invention, but other objects and advantages will be referred to in or else will become apparent from that which follows.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing by way of example preferred embodiments of the inventive idea wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawings forming part of this application:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational View of the device attached to a conventional door latch, a portion of the door being shown.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of that shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the members for mounting the release on a conventional door knob.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the cam plate removed from the device.

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view of a further embodiment of the invention attached to a conventional door latch, a portion of the door being shown.

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FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view on the line 77 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged section on the line 88 of FIGURE 6.

' FIGURE 9 is a view substantially on the line 99 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 10 is a view on the line 99 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of the upper bracket removed from the device.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the release for a door latch A includes the upper right angle bracket 10 formed of the vertical leg portion 12 and the horizontal leg portion 14. The vertical leg portion 12 of the bracket 10 is secured to the vertical frame member 16 of the door B. Further provided is the lower right angle bracket 18 formed of the vertical leg portion 20 and the horizontal leg portion 22. The vertical leg portion 20 of the bracket 18 is secured to the door frame member 1'6 in spaced relation to the upper bracket '10. The leg portion 14 of bracket 10 is formed with a bearing hole 24 and the leg portion 22 of bracket 18 is also formed with the bearing hole 26.

The numeral 28 designates an elongated vertical extension bar which includes the main elongated central portion 30 having the upper right angle leg portion 62 and the lower right angle leg portion '34. The leg portions 32 and 34 are formed with bearing holes 36 and 38, respectively.

The extension bar 28 is pivotally mounted on the brackets 10 and '18 by means of the nut-equipped bolts 40 and 42, respectively, which are positioned in the bearing holes of the leg portions 32 and '34 of the bar 28 and the hearing holes of the brackets 10 and 18. Thus, the bar portion 30 pivots about the axis of the 'bolts 40 and 42.

Further provided is the cam or lever plate 41 formed of the that base portion 43 having the arcuate outer edge 44 forming the stop shoulder portion 46 and the reduced corner portion 48. The cam plate 41 is formed with slot '50 extending therethrough adjacent the outer end thereof and normal to the longitudinal axis of the plate. The plate 41 also includes the upturned shoulder portion 52 and formed in the base portion 43 is a hole 54. The plate 41 is secured to the bar 28 by extending the bolt 40 through the hole 54 thereof with the leg portion 32 bearing against the shoulder portion '52. A nut '56 is placed on the bolt 40 below the plate 41, and a nut 58 is placed on the bolt 40 above the leg portion 32 thereby securing the cam plate 41 to the leg portion 32 of the extension bar 28. Thus, with the pivoting of the extension bar the cam plate 41 is pivoted.

The numeral '60 designates a conventional door knob mounted on the frame member 16 which when rotated actuates the latch member 62 mounted on the inner handle 64. It will be seen that the bracket is positioned slightly to one side of and just above the shaft portion 66 of the knob and the bracket 18 directly below and in vertical alignment upon frame 16.

Further provided is the clamp arm 68 formed with the upper spring-receiving hole 70, the hole 72, the arcuate recess 74 and the bolt mount 76. A companion clamp arm 78 is provided which includes the straight base portion 80 on the lower end of which is formed the bolt mount 82. The arm 78 also includes the arcuate recess 84 from which extends the angularly disposed extension portion 86. Formed on the outer free end of the exten- -sion portion 86 is the hook portion 88 adapted to be engaged in the hole 72 of arm 68.

The clamp arm 68 is securely mounted on the lock shaft portion 66 of esoutcheon 67 by placing the shaft within the recess 74 thereof and also in the recess 84 of clamp arm portion 78 with the book 88 engaged in the hole 72. A bolt 90 is positioned in the :bolt mounts 82 and 76 and drawn up with the nut 92 thereby tightly clamping the clamp arms 68 and 78 upon the shaft 66 at the points of the recesses 74 and =84 thereof with the arm 68 in an upwardly extending vertical position.

The numeral 94 designates a coil spring, one end of which is engaged in the slot 50 of cam plate 41 and the other end in hole 70 of arm 68. Thus, as release bar 28 is pulled and rotated in the direction of the arrows in FIGURE 3, the cam plate 41 through the spring 94 pulls the arm 68 in the left in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 1 thereby rotating the shaft 66 counterclockwise and disengaging the latch 62 from the latch-keeper 96 whereby the door B may be opened.

The knob 60 may be rotated counterclockwise to disengage the latch 62 from the keeper 96 independent of the subject device and when so rotated the hook end 98 travels throughout the length of the slot 50 whereby the cam plate 41 is not effected.

When the release bar 28 is released, the same returns to the position shown in FIGURES 1-3 due to the spring 94 and the internal spring-urging of the knob in a clockwise direction. The release bar 28 is held in the position of FIGURES l-3 by reason of the fact that the shoulder portion 46 of cam plate 41 contacts the vertical leg portion 12 of bracket 10.

It will be seen that the latch 62 may be actuated by means of release bar 28 by grasping the bar 28 and pulling it out, or if it is not convenient to use the fingers, the user may engage the bar 28 with his elbow or any object to actuate the same. Further, a child may easily grasp the bar 28 at its lower end and open the latch 62 although not able to reach the knob 60.

A further embodiment of the invention is the door latch release C, FIGURES 6-11, which includes the upper right angle bracket 100 formed of the vertical leg portion 102 and the horizontal leg portion 104. The vertical leg portion 102 of the bracket 100 is secured to the vertical frame member 101 of the door C with the leg portion 104 extending outwardly thereof. Further provided is the lower right angle bracket 106 formed of the vertical leg portion 108 and the horizontal leg portion 110. The vertical leg portion 108 of the bracket 106 is secured to the door frame 101 in spaced relation to the upper bracket 100. The leg portion 110 of lower bracket 106 is formed with a bearing hole 112, and the leg portion 104 of upper bracket 100 is formed with a bearing hole 114.

The upper bracket has formed on the horizontal leg thereof the depending stop shoulder 1 16.

The numeral 118 designates an elongated vertical extension bar which includes the main elongated central portion 120 having the upper right angle leg portion 122 and the lower right angle leg portion 124. The leg portions 122 and 124 are each formed with bearing holes 126 and 128, respectively.

The extension bar 118 is pivotally mounted on the brackets 100 and 106 by means of the nut-equipped bolts 130 and 132, respectively, which are positioned in the bearing holes of the leg portions 122 and 124 and the holes of the bracket portions 104 and 110. Thus, the bar portion 120 pivots about the axis of the :bolts 130 and 132.

Mounted on the door frame member 101 is a conventional door latch 134 including the outer handle portion 136 and the inner handle portion 138 which mounts the latch member 140 engageable with the latch-keeper 142 mounted on the door jamb 144. The latch 134 pivots from the position shown in full lines to that position shown in broken lines, and in the position shown in broken lines the latch member 140 is disengaged from the keeper 142. The central portion of the extension bar is positioned Within the outer handle portion 136 of door latch 134 and against the portion 136. Thus, when the extension bar 118 is pulled outwardly from the door frame portion 101 it moves the door handle portion 136 from the full line position of FIGURE 8 to the broken line position thereof releasing the latch member from the latch-keeper 142.

When the bar 118 is allowed to return to its normal position shown in full lines in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8, the same is prevented from pivoting inwardly and striking the door frame 101 by means of the stop shoulder 116.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A release device for a door latch comprising:

(a) an elongated release bar having upper and (b) lower right angular leg portions extending therefrom,

(c) upper and lower spaced brackets,

(d) said upper and lower leg portions of said release bar pivotally connected to said upper and lower brackets,

(e) a lever plate fixed to said upper leg portion of said release bar,

(f) an arm,

(g) means for securing said arm to the shaft of a door lock,

(h) a coil spring connected to said lever plate and said arm whereby said shaft of the door lock is rotated when said release bar is pivotally actuated.

2. A release device for a door lock comprising:

(a) an elongated release bar,

(b) upper and (c) lower spaced brackets,

(d) means laterally of said release bar for pivotally mounting said bar on said brackets,

(e) a lever plate connected to said release bar, 8

( f) an arm,

(g1) rEeans for securing said arm to the shaft of a door (h) a coil spring connected to said lever plate and said arm whereby the shaft of the door lock is rotated when said release bar is pivotally actuated.

3. A release device for a door lock comprising:

(a) an elongated release bar,

(b) upper and (c) lower spaced brackets (d) means laterally of said release bar for pivotally mounting said bar on said brackets,

(e) a lever plate connected to said release bar,

( f) an arm,

(g) means for securing said arm to the shaft of a door lock,

(h) lost motion connection means between said lever plate and said arm whereby the shaft of the door lock is rotated when said release bar is pivotally actuated.

4. A release device for a door lock comprising:

(a) an elongated release bar,

(b) upper and (0) lower spaced brackets,

(d) means for pivotally mounting said release bar on said brackets,

(e) a lever plate connected to said release bar,

(f) an arm,

(g) means for securing said arm to the shaft of a door References Cited by the Examiner f 1 t h 1 M d th UNITED STATES PATENTS sar 'ever p-a e aving a s o orme erein,

(i) a means connected at one end to said arm and at 1 292 171 X the other end to said lever plate and slidable in said 5 1311606 H919 il slot, whereby the shaft of the door lock is rotated 1530696 3/1925 R EH55 when said release bar is pivotally actnated and the 1545176 7/1925 f end of the spring yaelda bly slides in send slot of said 3:144268 8/1964 Rowe 292 336-3 cam plate when the door handle is rotated. The device of claim 4 including: 10 EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

(a) stop means formed on said lever plate for limiting the pivotal movement of said release bar. RICHARD Exammer' 

2. A RELEASE DEVICE FOR A DOOR LOCK COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED RELEASE BAR, (B) UPPER AND (C) LOWER SPACED BRACKETS, (D) MEANS LATERALLY OF SAID RELEASE BAR FOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID BAR ON SAID BRACKETS, (E) A LEVER PLATE CONNECTED TO SAID RELEASE BAR, (F) AN ARM, (G) MEANS FOR SECURING SAID ARM TO THE SHAFT OF A DOOR LOCK, (H) A COIL SPRING CONNECTED TO SAID LEVER PLATE AND SAID ARM WHEREBY THE SHAFT OF THE DOOR LOCK IS ROTATED WHEN SAID RELEASE BAR IS PIVOTALLY ACTUATED. 